Shipping-tag.



J. B. SHANDS' SHIPPING ms. APPLICATION FILED IUNEH. I914- RENEWED JUNE15 I918- Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

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JOHN B. SHANDS, OF "WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR O1" UNE FOURTH TUJAMES H. WOOLFOLK, ONE-FOURTH T0 DAVID D. BROWN, ONE-FOURTH T0 BOSWELLB. HAZARD, AND ONE-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS.

TO RUSWELL HAZARD, ALL OF VIORCESTER,

SHIPPING-TAG.

Application filed June 11, 19M, Serial No. EMA i=2. Renewed June 15,1911.3.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN B. SHANDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement inShipping-Tags, of which the following is a specification, accompanied bydrawings forming a part of the same, illustrating the construction andmethod of making my improved tag. a

The object of my invention is to provide a shipping tag which obviates alooped string or wire upon the outer surface of the tag and provides ahomogeneous body por tion by which the string or wire is securely held.In the usually practised method of constructing tags, a hole is providednear one end through which a double string or wire is passed and looped.This method of attaching a string or wire to a shipping tag places anundue strain upon a weakened portion of the tag which is ordlnarllystrengthened by a reinforcing strip or Washer attached by some adhesivematerial to the outer surface of the tag. The string thus applied isliable to become separated from the tag and the presence of a loop uponthe outer surface of the tag is objectionable. It has also been proposedto in sort the string or wire between two sheets of cardboard which wereafterward glued y together, forming a single tag and. holding the loopedend of the string or wire in position. This construction requires thattwo sheetsof cardboard be used and the union of these sheets by adhesivematerial is often imperfect where they pass over the string or wire. Itis the purpose of my invention to obviate the disadvantages enumeratedabove by formin the body portion of a tag homogeneous with the loop ofthe string or wire inserted in the center thereof during the process ofmanufacturing the tag from pulp, papier-mach, or other suitablematerial.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents in plan View my improved shipping tag provided, inthe present instance, with a wire which is looped and inserted in thebody of the tag.

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view of my if specification of LettersJE'atent.

Patented Nov. 5, thin.

Serial No. was.

improved tag on the broken line 22, Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 representsan apparatus illustrating the method of manufacture ofmy i1nproved shipping tag. Similar reference characters refer to similarparts in the difierent figures.

The shipping tag A, represented in Figs. 1 and 2, is constructed asfollows: Vertically movable Within a fixed framework 1 are the followers2 and 3, to which reciprocating movements are imparted by means ofeccentrics 4c and 5 suitably connected with some driving mechanism, notshown, by which a synchronous rotative movement may be imparted to saideccentrics. The eccentrics 4i and 5 work in slots 6 and 7 by which an upand down movement is imparted to the followers 2 and lint eachrevolution of the eccentrics. The followers 2 and 3 are provided ontheir opposing sides with perforated diaphragms 8 and 9, said.diaphragms being preferably made of fine mesh gauze of woven wire. Thediphragms are attached at their edges to the sides of the followers andare supported between their edges by means of transverse ribs 10 whichprevent a deflection of the diaphragms as pressure is brought to bearupon them. Between the ribs 10 are open spaces 11 which communicate witheach other by holes 12 through the ribs 10. Pipes 13 communicate withthe open spaces 11 at one end of the followers and similar pipes 14communicate with the open spaces 11 at the opposite end of thefollowers. Means are provided for forcing heated air through the pipes13 into the spaces 11 and exhausting it therefrom through the pipes 14:,causing a constant current of heated air to pass over the surfaces ofthe diaphragms 8 and 9. When the diaphragms are separated at theirfarthest distance apart, the upper follower 2 is raised above the uppersurface of the fixed framework 1, while the lower follower 3 stillremains inclosed by the framework. A predetermined amount of pulp,papier-mach, or other suitable material, from which the body of the tagis to be formed, is then placed upon the upper surface of the lowerdiaphragm 9. The amount of pulp thus supplied is sufficient to form onehalf the desired thickness of the shipping tag. A looped string or wire15 is then inserted through a slot 16 in the framework, with the loop17, shown by broken lines in Fig. 1, resting upon the upper sur face ofthe pulp or papier-mach. An equal quantity of tag material is thenpoured into the framework 1, covering the loop 17 The eccentrics 4 and 5are then rotated, bringing the diaphragms closer together and exertingpressure upon the material interposed between them, the moisture exudingtherefrom through the perforations of the'diaphragms 8 and 9 beingevaporated by the current of heated air.

In order to provide suflicient thickness to the body of the tag coveringthe loop 17, I

shorten the transverse ribs 18, 18 which support the diaphragms 8 and 9where they pass over the loop in the string in order to allow a slightdeflection of the diaphragms, thereby increasing the thickness of thetag to cover the loop. As the attaching means, consisting of the string15, is inserted near the edge of the tag in order to leave the body ofthe tag of uniform thickness and therefore suitable to be written upon,means must be provided to prevent the string from being pulled out,causing the tag to be disconnected from the bundle to which it wasattached. I am aware that wires or pins have been proposed having anenlargement or head which was embedded in a plastic material or securedbetween two layers of cardboard, said head or enlargement being in thesame plane as the cardboard. Such a method. of attaching a string orwire to a shipping tag would be impractical and I do not claim such.

I secure sufiicient'resistance to the strain upon the string 15 bydoubling the string 15 upon itself and forming a circular loop 17 ofgreater diameter than the distance between the strings where they leavethe edge of the tag. A tensile strain upon the string 15 will tend tocontract the sides of the circular loop 17 and compress the taginclosed.

in the loop. By doubling the string upon itself, I provide two endsprojecting from the edge of the tag which may be tied together inattaching the tag.

I do not confine myself to the specific mechanism shown for forming myimproved shipping tag as I am aware that other mechanisms may beemployed. The construction 5 of a shipping tag having a homogeneous bodyin which the string is inserted during the format-ion of the tag frompulp or other suitable material is, so far as I am aware, broadly new.

I claim:

1..1AS an article of manufacture, a shipping tag composed of plasticmaterial and having flexible attaching means doubled upon itself to forma loop of greater diameter than the space between the ends of theattaching means, with said loop embedded in the body of the tag and withits ends projecting from the end thereof.

2. As an article of manufacture, a ship ping provided with flexibleattaching means doubled upon itself and forming a circular loop ofgreater diameterthan the space between the ends of the attaching means,with the ends of the attaching means projecting from the end of the tag,said :utaching means being embedded in the body of the tag. 7

Dated this sixth day of June, 1914-.

JOHN B. SHA N US.

Witnesses PENELOPE Coiunnnmcii, NELLIE VVHALEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patentl, Washington, D. C.

